I just realized-the Soviet Union no longer exists, that Europe has changed, and that new powers like China, Brazil and Mexico have emerged as important players in the Global Supermarket.

Here in the Baltics, Czarist St Petersburg and Commie Leningrad are not even on speaking terms. They have agreed to see other people-foreigners. In Fact, Modern Sankt Petersburg, verison 3.0 is just another friendly Baltic port.

This invented city and capital of imperial Czarists Russia is a klepto architorture melange of Venice, Amsterdam and Paris. The nazi dropped over 6000 bombs on the city, so most of the place is a re-built cut and paste, R&D, (Ripoff and Duplication), DIY (Do It Yourself)Stew.

The cultural heart of Russia, it is the San Francisco of Moscow, where chicks like to wear high heels, and sport flowers in their hair. Full of psychic over kill, and the Napolean short-mans complex, if the fountains of Versailles are elegant, then a field of water canons that span two aircraft carries must be better. Quantity is its own kind of quality. For instance, the food, could kill a Russian circus bear. My favorite meal--seconds!

I walk by a t shirt shop "Buy Me Things" says it all. The nail that stands up doesn't get hammered down-It drives a BMW and talks on a black market Iphone. Minted with human capital, St Pete should have no trouble being the Geekfathers of their own piece of Silicon Valley heaven. This place is wired.

Mother Russia. Six months of depression, followed by seven month of disappointment